


Warmth

by eviearie



Category: Avatar: Legend of Korra
Genre: Cuddles, F/F, Lin is mentioned, Wu makes an appearance, stress mention, trauma mention
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-25
Updated: 2020-12-25
Packaged: 2021-03-11 05:35:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,132
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28279980
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/eviearie/pseuds/eviearie
Summary: Korra and Asami's relationship grew during their trip to the spirit world. Now they've returned to Republic City to enjoy some time with their friends-- but is Korra really ready to come back to her home again?Takes place after LOK.
Relationships: Korra/Asami Sato
Kudos: 19





	Warmth

**Author's Note:**

> gift for @ari-storm on tumblr as part of the ATLA Secret Santa exchange! Happy Holidays, I hope you enjoy!! <3

_The striking colors of the world spiraled around her vision in beautiful streaks of fire and earth, water and air. Figures manifested on the horizon of this sunset of light; figure of black with wispy bodies and figures of white made of blinding brightness. She squinted at the sight, feeling the shadow of her muscles contracting. They felt familiar, but not in a good way. She turned around but was met with darkness. The eigengrau overtook her surroundings, looming like something hidden would reveal itself if only a light would shine. Suddenly, as if this dream world had heard her thoughts, a shining figure approached. This one was unlike the others— it didn’t feel wrong, too dark or too light, or overbearing at all. It was… comforting. So was the voice that faded into her (un)consciousness. A familiar voice… saying her name…_

__

__

_“Korra. Korr_ a. Korra!” says the voice, sweet yet striking. “Wake up silly.” 

Korra mumbles something in her haze of awakeness, rolling towards the voice and wrapping her arms around the figure she finds. “Morning, love.” 

"Come on, we've got to go meet up with the boys soon," Asami says in almost a whisper, propping herself up with a forearm. 

Right, Korra remembered. It’s been a while since the group had gotten together, and since they are all back in Republic City for the time being, they’re going to meet up for lunch. “What time is it?”

“A little past 10:30,” Asami replies. 

“Spirits!” Korra exclaims, sitting up abruptly. “How could you let me sleep in so late?” she teased. 

“I didn’t want to wake you up.”

The room grows silent with a comfortable tension. Korra still holds on to Asami, leaning against the other. “I had another dream tonight…”

Asami looks over at her with a curious yet worried expression. “Was it bad?”

“Not really, but it wasn’t exactly good either.” She holds back a sigh and leans against her girlfriend. “Don’t worry— I’m fine. Ready for a fun day!”

Asami smiles and gives Korra a hug before hopping off the bed. She is already dressed— decked out with her signature red and black, with her hair flowing down her back in beautiful waves. She looks so familiar… so naturally, she looks gorgeous. 

Korra gets ready as well, throwing on the first genuinely nice thing she could find and putting her hair up as usual. Asami helped her with some makeup (not without a few complaints, however) and soon the two are ready to go. 

~ ~ ~

Korra and Asami stand outside the restaurant, awaiting the others’ arrival. Soon enough, there are Mako and Bolin, looking just like the day Korra met them— save the lack of pro bending uniforms. 

“Hey Mako! Hey Bolin!” Korra calls. 

“Hey!” Bolin replies, running up to the girls. “It’s so good to see you guys again! Ahh, it’s been so long!” 

“Not really,” Mako comments as Bolin hugs Korra and Asami. “But it is nice to see you two.”

“Nice to see you too, boys,” Asami replies. Korra beams. 

“Shall we go inside, then?” asks a voice from behind the group. Everyone turns around. 

“Hey Wu!” 

Mako groans. “Wu, seriously?”

“What? I wanted to join! I’m in town too, and why wouldn’t you want to see me?” Wu says with a flip of his hair. “Besides, the author really wants to write me in a fic.”

No they don’t. Okay that’s a lie, they do. But this is unrelated, he’s not supposed to be here. 

“Sorry, this is a Team Avatar only meeting,” Mako says, guiding the former prince away. 

“I swear eviearie, I will make an appearance again!” 

Sure you will. I’ll just have to get an excuse to write another LOK fic first. Anyways— 

“Shall we actually go inside, then?” Mako asks as he walks back with an exasperated expression. 

The rest laugh. 

“Yeah, let’s go.” 

~ ~ ~ 

The warm lights of the restaurant reflect the warmth Korra feels in her chest, talking with her best friends in the world and enjoying herself. Maybe the uneasiness in her gut isn't entirely overcome by this familiarity— but nevertheless, it's a good distraction. 

"So of course we have to turn them in," Mako says, telling a story about him and Bolin while the other two were away. 

"Lin was like 'You suck, why didn't you do this and this, but good job anyway,'" Bolin says, doing an (absolutely terrible) impression of the police chief. "So, you know, she's her normal self." 

Korra laughs. "I'm glad not too much has changed. Well—” she pauses, ”since before we left at least." Korra ignores that not-so-great feeling looming in her chest again. 

"Yeah, it's been going better than I expected," Mako comments. "But what about you two? Has anything interesting been going on in your lives?" 

"Oh, not too much," Asami replies. "We did have a few fun adventures, but nothing as fun as the stories you've been telling us." 

Bolin perks up, "Come on! We want to hear some awesome spirit world stories!" 

Asami looks at Korra— 

And it was then that the waiter serving them decided to come with their food. 

"Mmmm, food!" Bolin says, rubbing his hands together enthusiastically as the waiter sets plates in front of them. "Thank you, uh- Juinyan!" he says, looking at the waiter's name tag. 

"I haven't had a meal this good for a while," Korra comments, her mouth already half full of food. She swallows, "I forgot how amazing this place is!" 

"Me too," Asami says. 

"You were going to tell us about your vacation?" Mako says, his fork poised in his hands. 

"Right. Well…" 

~ ~ ~ 

The waiter (you literally named him, why don't you refer to him as Juinyan like you said, author) walked away with the group's dessert dishes as the group themselves stood up to go their separate ways. The sun shone brightly and highly in the blue sky, white clouds rolling across it while Team Avatar waves a temporary goodbye to the others. 

"Bye guys!" 

"Bye! See you soon!" 

Korra turns away from the setting, smiling next to Asami. Her smile falls slowly as they pass the scene of Republic City-- exactly the same, yet so extremely different at the same time. Aaand there is that unsettling feeling again. Maybe this whole thing is getting to her. It certainly doesn't seem like this is how she should be feeling, being able to see her friends and be back in her quote-unquote home again. Now that she thinks about it- it didn't just start now. This feeling has been present since she and Asami first planned to return. 

Stress is no good. Korra was going to need some Naga cuddles later. 

The girls arrive at their place much later, the normally short trip being longer on purpose-- for nostalgia's sake. They comment on the world and its residents, pointing out notable or recognizable places to the other and laughing together. It was great, but the two still can't wait to get some quality alone time together like the sapphics they are. 

However as soon as they get back, Asami pauses in the middle of the doorway. "Oh! I forgot, I was going to go get something. I'll be right back," she says. 

"Okay!" Korra calls to her before the door closes. She turns and looks around the area before taking a deep breath in and out. She walks out on the back patio, finding Naga curled up underneath the shaded hanging. Naga perks up and looks at Korra happily. 

"Hey girl," Korra says, stroking Naga's white fur with her arms around the polar bear-dog's neck. 

Naga sniffs her before looking up expectantly. 

Korra smiles, "We went to see Mako and Bolin, remember?" 

Naga's gaze is unchanging. 

"No, I don't have any food for you right now." 

Now Naga looks at her sadly. 

"You already ate just a few hours ago!" Korra protests. "Come on," she says, sitting down on the ground and leaning against Naga. Naga sets her head down comfortably beside her. 

Korra sinks down into Naga’s fur, exhaling at the softness surrounding her. She closes her eyes. 

"I've been so stressed lately," she says, the words muffled against Naga's fur. "I'm not even sure why. The dreams I've been having are so weird. They're not like the ones I had during the, you know, the whole poison-earth-kingdom-spirit-world thing. It's as if the vividness of those dreams has been dialed down and then… dipped into some sort of confusing... molasses or something. I don't know!" Korra exclaims, sitting up and repositioning her arms around Naga. "I thought I was going to be over the past, walking into that spirit portal with Asami. And I know I'm not-" she paused- "Running away because of hallucinations I've been having or anything, but still! It was so nice to see Mako and Bolin again… but maybe I need to deal with this whole situation a little bit more." She sighed and paused while Naga just stared at her. "I hate trauma." 

"Me too," says Asami, walking into the room with a box in her hands. Korra and Naga both turn to face her. "Has being back given you some stress too?" 

"How did you know?" Korra responds. 

Asami smiles sadly and sits down next to her. "I'm your girlfriend. Plus, I know how this might affect someone. I haven't been entirely clear of mind since we got back either." 

Korra leans against Asami as Naga curls closer around both of them. She puts one arm around her girlfriend--who puts a hand in hers in response-- and keeps one arm around Naga. 

"We'll be able to get through it," Korra says eventually. "We're bad bitches." 

Asami laughs. Naga perks up. "Yes, you too Naga," Korra says, sitting up to nuzzle the polar bear-dog's face. Now it's Asami's turn to lean against Korra, kissing her cheek in the process. Korra grins and wraps both her arms around Asami, dragging the two of them down so they lay on the ground with their heads against Naga. 

Naga in return licks Korra's face. 

The two giggle, Korra relaxing against Naga with a large smile and a feeling of warmth different from the one before. This feeling was brighter, hopeful, and it felt like home. 

Of course. 

Love. 

(And everyone knows that love is brighter in the dark). 

Asami wraps her arms around Korra's shoulders, staring into the Avatar's eyes with adoration. Korra kisses her. 

The two— sorry Naga, I mean three— stay like that for a while, relaxed and huddled up in a blanket of soft light and good vibes. No words are needed to understand how much both of them need this. Simple comfort, the warmth of one's love, and of course the presence of a large animal companion. As the tale goes, there's no escaping the confrontation of feelings—good or bad—but obviously snuggles are more important than any talk of painful memories. Sometimes enjoying life's high moments is all that's needed to feel a little bit better. 

"You know you'll always be able to trust me," Asami says softly, curled up against Korra. "I'll always be here for you."

"And you can expect the same from me," Korra replies. "What was it you were going to get?" 

"Right!" Asami sits up and reaches over to where she set down the box that was in her hands earlier. "I was thinking, a couple days ago, about my home and everything. That's probably what sent me a bit off edge. But I wanted to go over there today to get this, for you." She opens the box to reveal a beautiful necklace, with rubies of the brightest red and sapphires of the deepest blues lying between shining white gold and dark wooden carved beads. "It's not a family jewel or anything but it has a lot of significance to me, and I think you would look beautiful in it." 

"You mean more beautiful than I already am?" 

Asami laughs, "of course." 

Korra lifts the necklace out of its place carefully. "It is beautiful. It reminds me of us." 

"Here, let me help," Asami says, taking the necklace. Korra turned around to let Asami fashion it around her neck. "It's more my style too!" Korra exclaims, turning back to face Asami (whose face may have reddened a bit when she did, but we won't mention that). "I wish I had something for you, though." 

"You're more than enough," Asami says, wrapping her arms around the other girl. 

"Awww. Still though. Hmm- I present to you..." Korra starts, leaving over in Asami's embrace to grab something from the pot sitting by the outside wall, "a flower, and a blade of grass." 

Asami kisses her forehead. "I love you." 

"I love you too."


End file.
